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Surveyors in Pennsylvania

Surveyors in Pennsylvania

Considering working as a Surveyors in Pennsylvania? Here’s what the data says. Make exact measurements and determine property boundaries. Provide data relevant to the shape, contour, gravitation, location, elevation, or dimension of land or land features on or near the earth’s surface for engineering, mapmaking, mining, land evaluation, construction, and other purposes.

What do Surveyors Make in Pennsylvania?

The surveyors working in Pennsylvania, wages run about $73,680 per year (or about $35.43/hour).Pay can range from $48,110 at the 10th percentile to $111,130 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic Annual Hourly
10th percentile $48,110 $23.13
25th percentile $60,340 $29.01
Median (50th) $73,680 $35.43
75th percentile $92,130 $44.29
90th percentile $111,130 $53.43
Salary ranges for Surveyors in Pennsylvania

The job concentration index in Pennsylvania compared to the national average — is 0.65, indicating fewer surveyors per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, surveyors earn a median of $131,353 per year ($63.15/hour), below the Pennsylvania median.

Surveyors earnings in Pennsylvania vs. the national average

Employment Outlook

National employment for 345,666 surveyors nationwide. In Pennsylvania alone, about 1,360 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 660 surveyors.

Surveyors in Pennsylvania vs. the average state Forecasted number of jobs for Surveyors

Top Pennsylvania Metros for Surveyors

The metro areas below employ the most surveyors in Pennsylvania.

Metro Area Number Employed Annual Median Salary
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 560 $78,560
Pittsburgh, PA 240 $76,400
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 100 $76,470
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 90 $73,540
Lancaster, PA 50 $73,680
York-Hanover, PA 50 $63,060
Reading, PA 30 $78,610

Top States for Surveyors Employment

View the states that employ the most surveyors work.

State Number Employed
Texas 7,530
Florida 4,310
California 3,750
Minnesota 1,850
Massachusetts 1,800
Georgia 1,720
North Carolina 1,660
Colorado 1,580
New York 1,570
Illinois 1,450
Arizona 1,440
Michigan 1,410
Virginia 1,410
Pennsylvania 1,360
Louisiana 1,360
Ohio 1,160
Maryland 1,150
Missouri 1,150
Indiana 1,000
New Jersey 950

Highest-Paying States for Surveyors

The highest-paying states for surveyors.

State Annual Median Salary
California $103,790
New Jersey $93,260
Washington $88,340
Oregon $87,730
South Dakota $86,260
Alaska $85,520
Delaware $85,350
Massachusetts $84,260
Nevada $82,990
Indiana $81,010

Skills

The most important surveyors skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Mathematics  4.0 / 5
0
5
Reading Comprehension  3.9 / 5
0
5
Writing  3.8 / 5
0
5
Critical Thinking  3.8 / 5
0
5
Speaking  3.6 / 5
0
5
Active Listening  3.5 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Mathematics  4.7 / 5
0
5
Engineering and Technology  4.2 / 5
0
5
Geography  4.0 / 5
0
5
Computers and Electronics  4.0 / 5
0
5
Design  3.7 / 5
0
5
Customer and Personal Service  3.7 / 5
0
5

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for surveyors, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Deductive Reasoning  4.0 / 5
0
5
Mathematical Reasoning  4.0 / 5
0
5
Written Comprehension  4.0 / 5
0
5
Inductive Reasoning  3.9 / 5
0
5
Near Vision  3.9 / 5
0
5
Written Expression  3.9 / 5
0
5

Daily Tasks

Surveyors typically:

  • Direct or conduct surveys to establish legal boundaries for properties, based on legal deeds and titles.
  • Prepare and maintain sketches, maps, reports, and legal descriptions of surveys to describe, certify, and assume liability for work performed.
  • Write descriptions of property boundary surveys for use in deeds, leases, or other legal documents.
  • Verify the accuracy of survey data, including measurements and calculations conducted at survey sites.
  • Search legal records, survey records, and land titles to obtain information about property boundaries in areas to be surveyed.
  • Record the results of surveys, including the shape, contour, location, elevation, and dimensions of land or land features.
  • Prepare, or supervise preparation of, all data, charts, plots, maps, records, and documents related to surveys.
  • Compute geodetic measurements and interpret survey data to determine positions, shapes, and elevations of geomorphic and topographic features.
  • Calculate heights, depths, relative positions, property lines, and other characteristics of terrain.
  • Plan and conduct ground surveys designed to establish baselines, elevations, and other geodetic measurements.
  • Establish fixed points for use in making maps, using geodetic and engineering instruments.
  • Determine longitudes and latitudes of important features and boundaries in survey areas, using theodolites, transits, levels, and satellite-based global positioning systems (GPS).

Work Activities

  • Documenting/Recording Information
  • Working with Computers
  • Analyzing Data or Information
  • Getting Information
  • Processing Information
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  • Scheduling Work and Activities
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD In-demand technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

  • Engineering-Related Technologies
  • Surveying Engineering

Related occupations to surveyors include:

Also Known As

City Surveyor, Construction Surveyor, County Surveyor, Field Inspector, Field Surveyor, Geophysical Prospecting Surveyor, Health Facilities Surveyor, Home Surveyor, Insurance Loss Control Surveyor, Land Examiner, Land Measurer, Land Surveyor, Licensed Land Surveyor, Licensed Surveyor, Loss Control Surveyor.

References

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